Internal combustion engine



Aug. 11, 1931.

F. R. HI GLEY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Nov. 4, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN EYE INVENTOR ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F. R. HIGLEY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original Filed Nov. 4, 1927 Aug. 11, 1931 Patented Aug. 11, 1931 TENT @FFEQE FRANK R. I-IIGLEY, F "LEVFLAND HEIGHTS, OHIO INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Original application filed November 4, 1927, Serial No. 231,025. Divided and. this application filed January 17, 1930.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to that type of engine in which a rotating valve is employed for the purpose of controlling the inlet and exhaust of each combustion chamber thereof. The invention more particularly pertains to valve actuating means, as will appear; and this application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 231,025, filed November 1, 1927, to which reference may be had for details generally indicated but not specifically set forth herein.

Accessibility of parts is of well-known importance, and an object of my invention is to so arrange the parts that access may be had to the same for inspection or removal and replacement with a minimum of effort and with least disturbance of other parts.

A more commercial difficulty encountered in designing a rotary valve of individual type is that of accurately timing the several valves in their respective cylinders, and a purpose of my design is that the valves be capable of being timed with a minimum of effort and chance of error.

here the sleeve type of valve is employed, in which the piston is arranged to move, an objection is usually that an additional spacing of cylinders on the crankshaft center line is necessary, owing to the dimensions of the sleeves themselves or of their driving means. An objectof the present invention is to arrange the driving mechanism for a sleeve type of valve whereby the additional spacing required is a minimum.

The exact nature of this invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a typical transverse section in elevation of an engine in which are embodied the various features of my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section as in the plane of line 2-2', Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section in the plane of line 3-3, Fig. 1 (also Fig. 4) the section including a number of cylinders of the engine; and Fig. 4 is a detail in vertical section as in the plane of line 4-4, Fig. 3 and generally corresponding to the showing of Fig. 1.

Serial No. 421,390.

The principal parts of the engine chosen for illustration of my invention, and their arrangement, are generally similar to what is at present standard practice in the internal combustion art with reference to operation on a four-stroke cycle, these parts comprising a cylinder block casting 1 mounted upon a crank case 2 in which is a crank shaft 3, upon each crank l of which bears the lower end of a connecting rod 5 having connection through a wrist pin 6 with a piston 7 in the corresponding cylinder.

The cylinder block 1 is bored out to form a number of aligned cylinders 8, each cylinder being open at its top or head end and having a cooling water space 9 thereabout formed by a jacket wall portion 10 which extends around the block. Adjacent the head end on one side of the common diametrical plane of the cylinders, each cylinder is provided with a number of longitudinally elongated ports 11, 12, 13, 14, as indicated particularly in Fig. 2. In the cylinder block and extending between the lateral face 19 thereof and the several cylinder ports are a number of passages appearing in Fig. 2 and bearing reference numerals to 18 therein. The ports 12 and 14 through the passages 16 and 18 are adapted for connection as through a manifold, not shown, with the usual carburetor; and the ports 11 and 13 similarly through the passages 15 and 17 are adapted for connection with a suitable exhaust manifold. In each cylinder is arranged a valve which may be of the sleeve type indicated, the piston being arranged for reciprocating movement therein. Each valve 20 is provided with a number of ports, three, 21, 22, 23, being shown, equally spaced about and adjacent the head end thereof at elevation corresponding to that of the cylinder ports. The spacing of each series or pair of cylinder ports corresponds with the spacing of the valve ports whereby, for example, the two inlet ports 12 and 14, shown, of each cylinder, will be opened and closed simultaneously by adjacent valve ports.

The valves are arranged for rotation in a manner to be described, in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 3, and the cylinder ports are properly located in their cylinders whereby the inlet ports and exhaust ports of each cylinder will be opened and closed in proper timed relation with the motion of the corresponding piston therein, whereby the cylinder may operate on the well-known fourstroke cycle; and the timing or relative angular setting of the valves is such that a proper firing sequence will be had in the several cylinders, as will be well understood by one familiar with the art.

Each cylinder is provided at its head end with a closure member or so-called cylinder head which may be conveniently a single casting as indicated, Fig. 2, having a flange portion 26 secured as by bolts S l on the gasket 27 on the top face of the cylinder block about the periphery of the cylinder bore. Each cylinder head has an opening properly threaded for reception of spark plug 2%). A jacket head 32 extends along the top of the cylinder block seating upon the outer extremities of the gasket 27 overlying the jacket wall portions ll) and having openings ar ranged to receive the upwardly extending portions of the several cylinder heads.

Each cylinder head 25 has a depending 1 10rtion extending downwards within the cylinder and the valve therein and terminating in a transverse face 36 just clearing the head of the cylinder at its upper dead center and therefore lying in a plane just slightly above that of the lower edges of the cylinder ports. Each cylinder head is cut away adjacent the cylinder port area so that the depending portion thereof is offset with respect to its cylinder axis, the longitudinal face 37 of each depending portion having the curvature in dicated in the drawings, and terminating adjacent the outer vertical edges of the outer cylinder ports i l and 22; and the depending portion 35 serving to mask that portion of the head end of the valve not overlying the cylinder port area. That portion of the cylinder head extending within the cylinder is finished ofl' cylindrically to just clear the valve without contact therewith. The de pending portion of each head is hollow, as indicated, and open at the top for free communication with the cooling medium within the water jacket.

The upper face of the crank case 2 is finished off as usual and the lower cylinder block face similarly finished whereby a firm seat may be had between the two parts. The crank case is provided as usual with openings 38 aligned one with each cylinder for connecting rod clearance. overlying and secured with the crank case and surrounding each opening 38 is a bearing washer or bush- J h bushing 39'is a Luna tria i UEZLLBU. UlJUll L fig gear 40 countenbored out as indicated to form a flange -l3 and to receive the lower extremity of the valve 20, and seating upon the bushing throughout the full bearing surface thereof; the cylinder block being cut away as indicated to provide clearance above and about the ring gear. The lower periphery of the valve is provided with a number of notches 41 preferably equal in number and aligned respectively with the valve ports. T he ring gear 40 has corresponding inwardly projecting lugs 42 engaging the notches ll but of inwardly extending dimension to underlie the inner surface of the valve. The notches 41 are of greater longitudinal dimension than are the lugs 42. Between the lower extremity of the valve and therefore in supporting relation therewith and overlying the flange 43 of the ring gear is a spring 44. A similar spring may be positioned about the upper extremity of the valve bearing against the flange 26 of the cylinder head, suiiicient clearance being provided for the purpose.

The cylinders in the block 1 are spaced in pairs whereby each is closer to one of its adjacent cylinders than to the other, and this spacing is such that the teeth 46 of alter.

nate adjacent pairs of gears will mesh with each other whereby, as indicated in Fig. 3, the teeth of each gear will mesh with those of the gear of one adjacent cylinder but will clear those of the gear of the other adjacent cylinder.

T he lower extremity of the cylinder block 1 is secured with the crank case by a number of bolts 47 and 48. About the bolts 47. which lie between the most widely spaced pairs of cylinders, are spacer lugs 49 preferably integral with the cylinder block and terminating downwardly with faces finished flush with that surface of the cylinder block which bears upon the crank case. One side of the cylinder block in the plane of the gears -it) has an opening 50 provided with a suitable cover 51. No spacer lugs are provided adjacent the bolts 48 for a reason which will later appear.

Opposite the opening 50 and extending along he cylinder block in suitable bearings 56 therein is a shaft 52 driven by the engine crank shaft through any suitable connection such as the sprockets 53 and 54L and chain 55 appearing in Fig. 1, whereby the shaft 52 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, Figs. 1 and 4, in timed relation with the en glue shaft, and in the engine illustrated at a speed two-third revolutions to every one revolution of the crankshaft. On the shaft 52 opposite each ring gear 40 is a pinion 57 having teeth meshing with those of its ring gear. The teeth of the gears and pinions are hclically arranged thereon, and in the example chosen for illustration, the tooth angle is 45 and the pitch diameters of the ring gears are four times the pitch diameters of the pinions, whereby the ring gears will be rotated at one-sixth crank shaft speed.

Each pinion 57 has a hub portion 58. Each pinion with its hub portion is bored to freely fit upon the shaft 52, and the hub portions are transversely slotted as at 59. The shaft 52 is provided between each pair of bearings 56 with a pair of keywa-ys 6O spaced at 180 and extending between and somewhat beyond the center lines of those most closely spaced pairs of ring gears. In the keyways 60 are keys 61 notched at their ends, as indicated, to form shoulders 62. The clearance between the shoulders 62 on each of the keys 61 is such that when the pinions 57 are placed in abutting relation therewith, the pinions will be in spaced relation as are their ring gears as shown in Fig. 3; and the arrangement is such that the pinions may slide but not rotate on the shaft.

Operation of the engine is as follows: The engine is arranged for operation of the crankshaft in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 1, and the timing of the valves, of course, is such that a four stroke cycle of operations will be repeatedly efiected in each cylinder. In detail, assuming the piston of any cylinder at the top of its stroke, as rotation of the crankshaft causes downward motion of the piston, the valve is rotated to open the intake ports 12 and 14 so that a charge of combustible mixture may be induced by suction into the cylinder. During the succeeding upward stroke of the piston the valve progresses to close all of the ports so that the contents of the cylinder are compressed. As the piston attains the top of its stroke, a spark is effected at the electrodes 63 of the spark plug 29 in the usual manner. The contents of the combustion chamber are ignited, and immediately expand to force the piston downwards with great power. As the piston reaches the bottom of its stroke the valve progresses in its travel sufficiently to open the exhaust ports 11 and 14: which remain open throughout the next succeeding upward stroke of the piston, whereby the products F of combustion are forced out of the cylinder.

By the provision of the springs 44 and 45, and the engaging means between the valve and the ring gear already described, while rotational movement of the valve is positively effected by its ring gear, a limited spring-opposed longitudinal motion is allowed the valve. It is possible that the valve may hence somewhat follow the motion of the piston; but, at least at the time of ignition, the valve being unbalanced as to pressure, will move downwardly to compress the lower spring id to a maximum, return or upward motion of the valve occurring with sufficient pressure drop in the cylinder and being yieldingly limited by the upper spring the effect of the lower spring la upon the valve being limited by the lugs 42 described. This slight longitudinal valve movement is suiiieient to prevent the cutting of the valve in the cylinder walls which would otherwise occur.

By the arrangement of pinion drive described, the thrust of the ring gears will be against the bushings 39, and those pinions meshing with intermeshing pairs of ring gears are maintained in spaced relation, free of longitudinal movement as a unit on the shaft 52, and positively rotated by the shaft 52. The result of intermeshing the ring gears is that the cylinder spacing may be decreased, and the result of the pinion arrangement is that each pair of pinions may find its own center with respect to the ring gears driven thereby, so that tooth load upon the ring gears and pinions is effectively equalized. A further and important advantage, is that where resistance to rotation of one valve becomes greater than the resistance of the other valve of the pair, as during the combustion period in one cylinder occurring simultaneously with, say, the exhaust or suction period of the other cylinder, the pinion unit may slightly shift longitudinally upon the shaft 52 and allow the ring gear of the valve having the lightest load to transmit some of the power to the ring gear of the more heavily loaded valve. Thus, at such periods, the

tooth load on the ring gear of the most heavily loaded valve is reduced one half.

Preferably, the number of teeth on each ring gear is a multiple of the number of ports in the valve, and preferably, the notches 41 are aligned with the valve ports. By this arrangement, timing of the valves is a relatively simple matter and requires merely proper timing of the ring gears relative to their pinions. This is easily accomplished by employing the lugs 42 as indiees, each ring gear being first placed in proper engaging relation with its pinion, whereupon engagement of the valve with its ring gear in any possible position will result in proper timing of the valve.

By the arangement described, removal of any part of any cylinder assembly may be easily effected as follows, assuming the water jacket head portion 32 removed. By removal of the usual cylinder head bolts. the cylinder head 25 may be withdrawn. The valve may be thereupon freely lifted out of the cylinder; or if it is merely desired to remove the ring gear thereof, assuming the cover 51 and outer bolt 48 removed, the valve is simply raised sufficiently to clear the ring gear, whereupon the same may be laterally slid upon the bushing 39 and rolled upon the opposite ring gear of its pair out through the opening 50. The bushing 39 may then be easily removed from its seat. Removal of the ring gears allows free access for inspec-' tion of the pinions. Disassembly of the pinions 57 from the shaft 52 for removal of the shaft 52 may be effected by sliding apart each pair of pinions (accompanied by corre spond-ing movement of the ring gears if still in position), and removal of the interlying keys 61, whereupon the shaft may be slid longitudinally out of the cylinder block and the pinions slid off the shaft at the same time.

hat I claim is:

1. In an internal combustion engine having a ported cylinder, a sleeve valve arranged for control of the cylinder ports, and a valve actuating member positioned about and in driving relation with said valve, said cylinder having a lateral opening adapted toallow removal of said actuating member depend out upon disconnection of said valve therefrom.

2. In an internal combustion engine having a ported cylinder, a sleeve valve arranged for control of the cylinder ports, and a valve actuating member positioned about and in driving relation with said valve, and disconnectible therefrom by longitudinal movement of the valve in the cylinder, a head for said cylinder removable therefrom to allow the valve said disconnecting movement, said cylinder having lateral opening adapted to allow removal of said actuating member upon disconnection of said valve therefrom.

3. In an internal combustion engine having a ported cylinder, a sleeve valve arranged to control the ports thereof, a ring gear positioned about and in driving relation with said valve, and a pinion in driving relation with said gear, said cylinder having a lateral opening opposite said pinion and adapted to allow removal of said ring gear t-herethrough without affecting said pinion.

4. In an internal combustion engine having a ported cylinder, a crankcase, a sleeve valve arranged in said cylinder to control the ports thereof and extending beyond said cylinder, a ring gear positioned about said extending valve portion and in driving relation therewith, a pinion in driving relation with said gear, said cylinder having a lateral opening opposite said pinion and adapted to allow removal of said ring gear, and means securing together cylinder and crankcase portions adjacent said opening and obstructing said opening and being rcmovable to allow said ring gear removal.

5. In an internal combustion engine having a pair of ported cylinders, a sleeve valve in each, of said cylinders arranged to control the ports thereof, a gear for driving each of said valves, said gears intermeshing, a driving shaft, a pair of pinions slidable and nonrotatably mounted on said shaft and meshing one with each of said gears, and means for controlling the spacing apart of said pinions.

6. In an internal combustion engine having a ported cylinder, a valve arranged for rotary movement in said cylinder to control the cylinder ports and having a plurality of ports equally spaced thereabout, a drivrelative position thereof in which said valveis properly timed.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

FRANK R. HIGLEY. 

